System and method for assessing voltage threshold detecting circuitry within a battery pack

Abstract

Systems and methods for assessing voltage threshold detection circuitry of individual battery cells within a battery pack supplying power to a vehicle are disclosed. One example system comprises, a plurality of battery cells within a battery pack, a plurality of voltage threshold detecting circuits detecting voltage of the plurality of battery cells, a voltage of a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells coupled to a first voltage threshold detecting circuit of the plurality of voltage threshold detecting circuits, and a network that selectively couples a second battery cell to the first voltage detecting circuit while the first battery cell is coupled to the first voltage detecting circuit.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for assessing voltage threshold detection circuitry of individual battery cells within a battery pack supplying power to a vehicle, comprising:
 a first battery cell and a second battery cell within a battery pack; 
 a first voltage threshold detecting circuit coupled to a higher potential side of said first battery cell and a second voltage threshold detecting circuit coupled to a higher potential side of said second battery cell; and 
 a first network that increases a voltage applied to said first voltage threshold detecting circuit and a second network that increases a voltage applied to said second voltage threshold detecting circuit, the first network selectively coupling said higher potential side of said second battery cell to said first voltage threshold detecting circuit while said higher potential side of said first battery cell is coupled to said first voltage threshold detecting circuit. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said second battery cell is adjacent to said first battery cell in a battery cell stack, and wherein said second network selectively couples a higher potential side of a third battery cell to said second voltage threshold detecting circuit while said higher potential side of said second battery cell is coupled to said second voltage threshold detecting circuit. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second networks are comprised of switches and resistors, and where said higher potential side of said second battery cell is coupled to said first voltage threshold detecting circuit via a resistor and a first transistor, the first transistor coupled to a second transistor that selectively activates the first transistor. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of networks to increase voltages applied to a plurality of voltage threshold detecting circuits. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said first battery cell and said second battery cell are included in one or more battery cell stacks. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said first battery cell and said second battery cell are lithium-ion battery cells. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 3 , wherein said switches are bipolar junction transistors. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 3 , wherein said switches are field effect transistors. 
     
     
       9. A system for assessing voltage threshold detection circuitry of individual battery cells within a battery pack supplying power to a vehicle, comprising:
 a first and second battery cell within a battery cell stack; 
 a first voltage threshold detecting circuit coupled to a higher potential side of said first battery cell via a first resistor; 
 a first network that selectively couples a higher potential side of said second battery cell to said first voltage threshold detecting circuit to increase a voltage applied to said first voltage threshold detecting circuit while said higher potential side of said first battery cell is coupled to said first voltage threshold detecting circuit via said first resistor while said higher potential side of said second battery cell is coupled to a second voltage threshold detecting circuit via a second resistor; and 
 a microcontroller coupled to said first network and said first voltage threshold detecting circuit. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein said first and second battery cells are lithium-ion battery cells, and a second network that increases a voltage applied to said second voltage threshold detecting circuit, said second network selectively coupling a higher potential side of a third battery cell to said second voltage threshold detecting circuit while said higher potential side of said second battery cell is coupled to said second voltage threshold detecting circuit. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 9 , wherein said first network is comprised of switches and resistors, and where said higher potential side of said second battery cell is coupled to said first voltage threshold detecting circuit via a second resistor and a first transistor, the first transistor coupled to a second transistor that selectively activates the first transistor. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 9 , wherein a second battery cell voltage is at a higher potential than a first battery cell voltage. 
     
     
       13. A system for assessing voltage threshold detection circuitry of individual battery cells within a battery pack supplying power to a vehicle, comprising:
 a first and second battery cell within a battery cell stack; 
 a first voltage threshold detecting circuit coupled to a higher potential side of said first battery cell; 
 a network that selectively couples a higher potential side of said second battery cell to said first voltage threshold detecting circuit to increase a voltage applied to said first voltage threshold detecting circuit while said higher potential side of said first battery cell is coupled to said first voltage threshold detecting circuit and while said higher potential side of said second battery cell is coupled to a second voltage threshold detecting circuit; and 
 a microcontroller coupled to said network and said first voltage threshold detecting circuit, said microcontroller including executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory to couple said higher potential side of said second battery cell to said first voltage threshold detecting circuit to increase said voltage applied to said first voltage threshold detecting circuit in response to a voltage threshold detecting circuit diagnostic assessment.